Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in southern Lebanon as long as its security needs require it, in a public message to U.S. President Donald Trump amid American pressure to end the fighting and pull the IDF out of the area.
At the opening ceremony for Highway 60, known as the “Bible Road,” Netanyahu said Israel would continue to insist on its security demands even when they clash with the U.S. administration. “There are more challenges ahead of us,” he said. “These require composure, a firm stand on our security interests, and at the same time, maintaining the important bond with our American friends.”
He linked the issue directly to the northern border, saying restoring safety for residents depends on continued Israeli military presence beyond the border. “We will restore security to the north. This requires keeping the security zone in southern Lebanon, this requires that we do not leave there as long as Israel’s security needs require it,” Netanyahu said.
The statement followed Netanyahu’s earlier message to Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by a clause requiring withdrawal from Lebanon under understandings between Washington and Tehran. According to Israeli sources, he told Trump that the IDF would remain in its positions and continue operating against Hezbollah. Israeli officials also told Reuters that intense talks are underway with the U.S. administration over the continued military presence in southern Lebanon, while Israel maintains that the security zone is essential to protecting northern communities.
